Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 302

Sec. 17 STUDIES IN THE BAHGAWATI SUTRA
277 plant kingdom had enriched the wild beauty of the landscape and supplied the necessary economic needs of the society to some extent. Forests
The term “Vaņa'l used in the Bhs denotes two meanings, viz. the natural forest adavžand the well-cultivated groves and gardens full of trees, flowers and fruits.
Thus it gives a list of different classes of van 189 as already pointed out in the beginning of this section, such as, Asogavana, Sattavannavana (Saptaparņavana)........, upto Bandhujivagavana, Ambavaņa, etc.
A deep trackless forest is called 'aqavi' (ațavz),while the groves and gardens were known as ārāma and ujjāna respectively where the wandering monks sometimes used to take shelter for a short period of their stay.
The plant kingdom as found in this text may be classified into the following main groups, viz. trees, (rukkha), herbs, grasses (tana), creepers (layā), and field crops which have already been discussed. The natural products of the plants may be divided into two broad categories on the basis of the economic use, namely, eatable and non-eatable natural products. Eatablo Natural Products
Of the eatable natural products grown in the gardens and forests varieties of fruits and spices, as already mentioned in connection with the topic •Different kinds of Food' in the sixth section of the fourth chapter, are recorded in the Bhs. Fruits
Anba (mango)o (mangifera Indica), Jarrbu (rose apple or black berry)10 (Eugenia Jambolana); Kosanball; Kadali (banana or plantain)1* (Musa Sapientum); Püyaphala (Arecanut)+3; Khajjūrī
1 Bhs, 1, 1, 19; 8, 5, 330. ? 16, (Vana), 8, 5, 330; 15, 1, 517 (Adavi), 16, 18, 10, 647.
4.5 Ib, 1, 1, 19. 16, 11, 11, 428. 7 16, 15 1, 547.
8 16, 18, 10, 647. 9 16, 15, 1, 554 ; 22, 2, 10 16,8, 3, 324 ; 22, 2. il 16, 22, 2.
12 13 16, 22, 1.